China’s collective forest tenure reform post-2010: a decade of challenges, insights, and future directions

China’s collective forest tenure reform can play a crucial role in advancing low-carbon transformation, enhancing rural livelihoods, and supporting sustainable forest management. By decentralizing governance, the reform empowers local communities to manage forests sustainably, though significant challenges persist. This study evaluates the reform’s effectiveness a decade after its formal conclusion in 2010, based on a comprehensive survey conducted by the National School of Development at Peking University across ten representative collective forest regions. Using a multi-stakeholder approach, the study incorporates perspectives from rural households, forestry enterprises, cooperatives, and local government officials. Findings reveal persistent issues, including limited financial incentives, policy inconsistencies, and barriers to scaling sustainable forestry practices. Addressing these challenges is essential to bridge the gap between policy objectives and on-the-ground realities. This paper provides evidence-based recommendations to optimize policy frameworks, improve implementation strategies, and ensure that collective forest tenure reform contributes effectively to China’s sustainability and development goals.